Budish, in keeping with custom, was “very excited” about the bid. He said that more than 20 local organizations and 90 individuals had worked days, nights and even weekends over the past several weeks to assemble the package. We know the bid was submitted by TeamNEO and the Greater Cleveland Partnership on behalf of the public entities, but that’s all we know.
The bid itself, for undisclosed reasons, remains “proprietary,” meaning no specifics have been revealed. Neither the proposed location for the Amazon site nor the financial incentives attached, nor even the ways that Cleveland chose to promote itself, were shared with the media. Reporters were left to convey the excitement itself or else to complain about the lack of details.
Though Frank Jackson remained subdued as ever during the press conference, Budish’s exultations — “I truly believe that this is the best location for Amazon in the country” — were unaccompanied by evidence.
Other cities, like Detroit, released their bids with splashy videos and literature. Some cities elected not to reveal key details, like the proposed site location, but nevertheless sketched out the central points of their bids. Denver highlighted the talent and education of its workforce, for example. Other cities, like Columbus provided the bid information when local media submitted public records requests. In Boston, information from the bid led to a report that transportation accessibility and commute times had been generously overstated.
In Cleveland, we have nothing, and the city refuses to say why. Frank Jackson told Channel 5 that the information would be provided “in a few weeks,” but gave no explanation for the delay. We have to assume the bid exists — something was submitted last week — so what’s the hold-up? As we Tweeted Friday, if officials are so excited about the bid, why not share what’s so exciting?
When Scene requested clarification from the city — what made the information in question “proprietary,” we asked — we received a public records tracking number. In this instance, we weren’t requesting a record. We just wanted justification for the information having been withheld. Besides, given the city’s notorious hostility toward transparency and public records, the tracking number may as well have been a honking middle finger.
The Plain Dealer interviewed Mayor Frank Jackson and Councilman Zack Reed last week in preparation for a mayoral endorsement and they pressed Jackson on this issue. Cleveland.com editor Chris Quinn mentioned that Cleveland.com’s lawyers were currently negotiating with the city’s law department over public records and that a significant lawsuit may be forthcoming.
“We’ve been around a long time,” said Quinn (at about the 45:00 mark), “and there’s nobody who has had a worse record with public records… This has been a big problem. The media does not have the money to launch what would be an expensive lawsuit.”
Jackson responded, “Whatever you’re entitled to is what you should have.”
Implicit in his response — and doubly so when the alternative media is concerned — is that we’re not entitled to much.
This article appears in Oct 18-24, 2017.
I imagine that the bid is so amateurish, so sad, so pitiful and shameful that Budish and Jackson are fearful that the document could ruin Jackson’s chances in the November election.
Jeff Hess
Have Coffee Will Write
I didn’t have to check the byline to know who wrote this story!!! Other your usual “stick it to the man” angle, Sam, not sure why this is important to you or anybody? It’s reported that 238 separate bids for HQ2 were received by Amazon and the vast majority – not the vast minority – have not been disclosed… But that’s not relevant here, right? CLE is the bad guy for not tipping its hand, the same as pretty everyone else.
The bid is none of our business, as I see it. But then I am a Republican… (pin drop…) which means I kinda like business and corporations and development and the haves of the world – and secrecy – and in turn, I support handouts that help foster growth (as opposed to the handouts you activist types prefer…).
Though our offer is probably less compelling in comparison to some other areas, we still don’t want to potentially kill this for everybody by divulging the details now, do we? Oh, wait, I’m sure YOU do – more millennial angst to fuel your crusade against THE MAN, police, politicians, etc…
@Eyehrtfood2
“The bid is none of our business, as I see it. But then I am a Republican… (pin drop…) which means I kinda like business and corporations and development and the haves of the world—and secrecy—and in turn, I support handouts that help foster growth (as opposed to the handouts you activist types prefer…).”
The fact that the bid involves an unspecified amount of tax money makes the bid our business.
You do get points for coping to liking “business and corporations and development and the haves of the world—and secrecy.”
For my part, when we’re talking tax money and deals made in my name, I like transparency and honesty and the welfare of all citizens.
I dislike people who feel a necessity to hide behind anonymous internet handles.
Cheers,
Jeff Hess
Have Coffee Will Write
Answer: the whole beauty contest was a charade, Jeff Bezos knows where he is going, it is not Cleveland, so why bother releasing information; move on.
@Loose Cannon,
Public officials must never be allowed to promise/spend public money in secret.
Jeff Hess
Have Coffee Will Write
Jeff,
That’s nice, but this is the real word. Elected officials are, by every capacity, given the responsibility to promise and spend public money. They can’t not disclose how the money is being spent. However, they have every right to not disclose potential bids and fiscal planning until it becomes a reality. At that point, the voters can petition for a referendum. Even if the city has offered 50 acres of free land and a 30 year abatement to Amazon, is anybody really going to fight against 50,000 jobs and an estimated $95 million annually in local income taxes alone?
Collector,
The real world is the one where elected officials have no rights not granted by the consent of the governed.
This is perhaps the most important single fact of Democracy and one the founders rightly enshrined as the 10th Amendment to our Constitution:
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
Ultimately, We The People decide what permissions and restrictions elected officials operate under.
Only those ashamed of what they do need to operate in secrecy.
Cheers,
Jeff